The Triangle

The name of the 'Mormon' church is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Hey, you're entitled to your opinions, but could you at least attempt to get your facts straight?

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints ("Mormon") did not contribute any money to Prop 8. It asked its members in California (which number about 800,000) to get involved, and they did -- along with millions of other people. That's called democratic participation and -- waaaaay back when Barack Obama raising hundreds of millions and getting all sorts of people fired up to go to the polls -- I seem to recall it being a good thing.

Gay activists are raging against the Mormons because Mormons are well-behaved and won't retaliate. I wonder why gays don't march through South Central Los Angeles and threaten violence?

I know the "No on 8" crowd likes to say that the "Yes" ads were "lies," but a majority of voters clearly don't believe that (even in California). I'm a lawyer, and let me tell you how the law works -- it's like water, and it runs downhill and it doesn't stop until it reaches the bottom. A generation ago, the LDS Church (along with millions of others) fought the Equal Rights Amendment, saying that it would inevitably lead to people demanding gay marriage. Critics of the Church said it was "lying," but time has proved the Church knew what direction this was all heading.

It isn't a "lie" to have vastly better foresight than your political opponents.

As for so-called studies proving (in your mind) that same-sex parents have raise children without effect to the children, my guess is time will prove the "Yes" crowd right on that, too. In the 1970s, people were pushing for liberalized divorce laws, saying divorce would not hurt kids, and they produced a study or two. But religious conservatives warned against divorce anyway, castigated by social "scientists" every time they dared speak up about it. Now 30 years later no one argues any longer that divorce is good for kids, just as 30 years from now, no one will argue that same-sex parenting is good for kids.

But, it's a free country -- so think what you want. Your side has a demonstrably bad record on these things, which is why voters in 30 states have banned gay marriage (the traditional marriage side is 30 for 30).

No one denies that these heartfelt disputes between various citizens' rights are controversial. But, as always, it's better to settle things by the democratic participation of tens and hundreds of millions of voters, than have a handful of judges cram their morality down on throats. As Mayor Gavin Newsom said, Gay marriage is coming "whether you like it or not!"

Gays ought to be marching on his home and office -- he lost the Prop 8 election for them.

I would recommend you take a look at the substantial efforts the LDS church and its members are continually making to fight poverty and disease. www.lds.org/ldsfoundation/welfare/